


Explaining the Infinite

by ArdenSkyeHolmes221



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, How Do I Tag, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, baby fever, because I need feels, you can thank the A4 trailer for inspiring me to finish this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 05:44:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArdenSkyeHolmes221/pseuds/ArdenSkyeHolmes221
Summary: Peter asks, quiet, “Why d’you wanna name the baby after me?”“Because we love you.” Pepper replies back just as softly. “And you are literally the only person I feel comfortable naming my child in honor of.”“I love you guys, too,” Peter whispers, voice catching and he sniffles. “I love baby girl Stark most of all, though.”***5 times Peter has baby fever and 1 time baby has Peter fever





	Explaining the Infinite

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooooooo this is my first attempt at a 5+1! It's fluff. Maybe not even done properly lol. I decided to write something completely indulgent and then seeing that trailer last week cemented it. So it ignores a lot. But it's fluffy so why would it matter? Not beta'd and I still don't own anything. Enjoy! <3

“Peter, how many times do I have to tell you?”

 

“I’m just trying to help, Tony!”

 

The two geniuses stare at each other for several seconds before the smirks turn into bright smiles, the obnoxious cheek stretching kind. Peter breaks first and falls into a fit of giggles and Tony doesn’t last long after the younger man before he, too, is chuckling steadily.

 

“Did you seriously suggest for my child to be named Bianca?”

 

“I just wanted to make sure you were listening to me! You do zone out on me, y’know.”

 

“Last I checked, Pete, you were the one that zones out the most. Not me.”

 

“Fair. But in my defense, it was the first outlandish name I thought up on the spot. And you weren’t listening to me!”

 

“Not outlandish, no. Perhaps boring. Bianca Stark? Pass.”

 

The seventeen year old sighs hard enough to disturb his bangs, his posture slumping. “I dunno how I feel about you naming my sister Amelia either, though.”

 

“Well you and Pep shot down Isabel so we’re even.”

 

Peter shifts in his seat, setting down a screwdriver along with a broken webshooter on the workbench space, and says, “It’s only because it’s one of the most popular variations of girls’ names in the States for the last, oh I dunno, decade or something equally asinine.”

 

“Are you two still debating baby names?”

 

Peter glances over his shoulder to see Pepper Stark leaning up against the entryway of Tony’s lab, a light eyebrow raised and an amused smirk toying at the corners of her lips. “Yes.” he admits. “He won’t listen to reason.”

 

“He just suggested Bianca!” Tony contributes, quickly rising from his seat and crossing the distance to his wife in several long strides. “Someone please try to explain to me how that name is a reasonable contender.”

 

“Just to see if you were listening!”

 

“Yeah, listening to utter bullshit, kiddo.”

 

Pepper giggles, “So I take it the separate plan of attack didn’t work?”

 

“No.”

 

“Wait? What are you talking about?” Tony pulls back from kissing Pepper and glances between his wife and intern, forehead crinkling. “Are you two ganging up on me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you seriously surprised?”

 

Tony opens his mouth to reply a firm _hell yes_ when his wife interjects.

 

“Dinner’s ready. Go wash up and we can finish this conversation at the table.”

 

Peter rises from his seat and stops at Tony’s shoulders, smiling warmly at Pepper. “He’ll listen to reason eventually, won’t he?”

 

Tony turns around, indignation flaring across his features, comeback on the tip of his tongue judging by the large breath he takes. Pepper cuts him off with a raised palm.

 

“Eventually.”

 

Peter smirks. “It’s always just a matter of time.”

 

“All right, you little terror,” Tony shoves him out into the hallway, not bothering to hide his smile, “stop conspiring with my wife and get a move on it.”

 

By the time the three are situated at the table, food passed around and served on plates, Peter brings the topic back up.

 

“Just because we have less than six months doesn’t mean it’s too early to decide on a name.” Peter says around a mouthful of salad greens.

 

“That’s disgusting, Pete.”

 

“Swallow first, please, Peter.”

 

“Sorry.” a pause. “But you know I’m right.”

 

“I see your point.”

 

“Nobody is going to see anything. Kid, when’d you get so damned cocky?”

 

“Hanging out with you all the time, old man.”

 

A smile blooms across Pepper’s lips. “So hard noes on Morgan and Bianca?”

 

“Why’d you veto Morgan again?” Tony asks, tilting his head and gesturing with his clean fork. “Because you don’t like that uncle? You never did give me a straight answer on that one, Pep.”

 

“It’s because she doesn’t want to name her daughter after a dream you had.” Peter pipes up. “Also, don’t you know how she feels about naming babies after family members? Middle names are more acceptable.”

 

Pepper nods, a strawberry blonde tress coming out of her ponytail and into her eye, “Yeah. What he said.”

 

“Fine,” sighs Tony rather dramatically. “Hard noes to Morgan and Bianca. But maybe Morgan for a middle name? Pete, you have a name yet for your freebie veto?”

 

“Any old lady name.”

 

“Such as?”

 

“Betty or Rose or Catherine.”

 

“This is a single freebie, Parker; do we need to have a recap on what constitutes as a hard limit?”

 

“Oh, my God, Tony!”

 

Tony and Peter make eye contact, snickering immediately at Pepper’s reaction.

 

In retaliation, Pepper tears her paper towel in two, wads them both up, and chucks them at her husband and Peter.

 

“I’m sorry!” the younger cries out, not sounding even in the slightest bit apologetic through peels of laughter. “Can I get back to you on my veto and just start spewing out names I like?”

 

Tony rolls his eyes. “Even if I said no right now, you’d do what you want, so be my guest.”

 

“Emmy.”

 

“Eh, maybe.”

 

“Giovanna.”

 

“Excuse me, what?”

 

“What? Why do you sound so affronted?”

 

“That’s essentially calling her Johnny, you know that right?”

 

“No, we’ll call her Gigi.”

 

“I think it’s cute.” Pepper adds, wiping her mouth then pushing her plate away from her. “Gigi Stark.”

 

“Nope. I don’t like it. Too pretentious. Next.”

 

Peter sighs, “Sienna.”

 

“Can’t. He dated a photographer named Sienna for about three months back when I first started working as his assistant.”

 

Tony does _not_ blush.

 

Peter chortles, “If that’s the case, then we might have major limitations.”

 

“Kid!” yelps Tony.

 

Pepper offers Peter a high five.

 

“Okay, Serafina.”

 

“Ick. Please let’s stay away from alliteration.”

 

“I don’t mind Peter’s suggestions; I think the last one is cute.”

 

“Next!” Tony shouts through a mouthful and gives his wife a meek grin when she shoots him a steely glare.

 

“Gemma.”

 

“Now you’re just purposefully sprouting off Italian names. Come on; what gives?”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Uh-huh, and my name isn’t attached to a multibillion dollar industry.”

 

“I’m just really, really excited!”

 

“Pete.”

 

“What? It’s harmless! You’re part-Italian.”

 

“No,” Tony side eyes the spider-child, fighting off a grin, “No, not really. My mom was half-Italian. My maternal grandmother was from Italy. Genoa, specifically. And Howard’s side definitely wasn’t Italian. German born, Jewish raised, believe it or not.”

 

“That’s the same as May and she says she’s Italian.”

 

“He’s got you there, Tony.” Pepper says straight-faced, shifting around and taking a sip of water. “Hey, I have a suggestion.”

 

“Let’s hear it.”

 

“Oooh, yeah, tell us!”

 

“I haven’t discussed it with you yet, Tony,” Pepper directs the first part to her husband then her blue eyes cut to their dinner companion, “but I have been toying with the idea of naming baby girl after you in some way, Peter.”

 

Peter sits back, eyes blinking and expression falling neutral. “Like… like Petra?”

 

“Not quite,” she smiles. “I was thinking Penelope. And calling her Penny.”

 

“Wait, like Penny Lane?” Tony pipes up, leaning his forearms across the table and staring at his wife with something akin to adoration and amusement in his brown eyes.

 

Peter asks, quiet, “Why d’you wanna name the baby after me?”

 

“Because we love you.” she replies back just as softly. “And you are literally the only person I feel comfortable naming my child in honor of.”

 

“I love you guys, too,” Peter whispers, voice catching and he sniffles. “I love baby girl Stark most of all, though.”

 

Pepper’s laugh is a touch hysterical. Tony pats his forearm, eyes suspiciously red, and smiles reassuringly at him. Peter soaks up the feelings floating in the air, energy like drinking too much coffee coursing through his veins because he cannot wait to share this with baby girl Stark.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Peter enters the penthouse with several bags, that look heavy to the untrained eye, though to the genius teenager are as light as a puppy, jammed full of baby clothes and stuffed animals. Once the elevator doors are fully opened, he exits and takes several steps to allow the doors close behind him.

 

“Thanks, FRIDAY,” he calls out, distracted as he scans the empty entryway.

 

“My pleasure, Peter.” comes the A.I.’s reply, her Irish lilt coming out soft and easy on his sensitive ears.

 

He drops the bags at his feet when he isn’t immediately greeted.

 

“Hey, Fri?” he calls out, glancing around the empty entryway. “Where’s everyone?”

 

“Boss is down in the lab and is about to make his way up. And—”

 

“Peter, honey, is that you?” Pepper’s voice echoes from the hallway and interrupting FRIDAY. “You’re running late today, per usual.”

 

“Hey! Am not. And um, hi, Pepper, yes it’s me.”

 

“You run on Tony’s schedule, hon; you two are notoriously late.” Pepper emerges, hand resting on her swollen baby bump, and smiles upon seeing her guest. “What’s the verdict? Bank robbery on the way over? Wait— what’s with the bags?”

 

Unabashed, Peter glances at his feet then back up at Pepper with a small smile steeling over his features. “For Baby.” he answers simply, shrugging.

 

“All of it?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Think you went, oh I dunno, overboard?”

 

“Not—“

 

“Hey, Pete! Why all the bags? Did May kick you out longer than the weekend?”

 

“Hi, Tony.” the teen rolls his eyes and shakes his head, “No. I have goodies for Baby.”

 

Pepper and Tony exchange a glance, words being shared silently, then they collectively stare at Peter with identical expressions of exasperation (parental level, at that, Peter muses). He knows what’s coming next so he tries to avert it before it festers.

 

“Don’t give me that look.”

 

“Pete.”

 

“Don’t make me do it.”

 

“Now you’re playing dirty.”

 

“He learns it from you, Tony.”

 

“Pep— seriously? You’re supposed to be on my side.”

 

“You’re gonna make me do it.”

 

“Pete, c’mon— let’s be reasonable.”

 

“What kind of big brother would I be if I didn’t spoil my little sister?” Peter pauses for dramatic effect, meeting brown and blue eyes respectively to encourage them to fill in the blanks, yet knowing they won’t when both gazes flit away after a couple seconds apiece. “A shit one, that’s the kind.”

 

“Language, Peter.”

 

“Sorry, _Mom_.”

 

Pepper rolls her eyes and huffs out a faux-put-upon, “Well come on then. I suppose now’s as good as any time to show you the finished nursery!”

 

“Yes!” cheers Peter, fist pumping the air and all, before bending down to retrieve his abundance of bags. “Does this mean I get to see her name on the wall like we talked about?” he asks as he hurries after Pepper and darts passed Tony, ducking away from his mentor’s attempt to ruffle his hair.

 

“No.” husband and wife echo together.

 

“What? What do you mean ‘no?’ You haven’t decided on a name yet? I can’t keep calling her Baby for the next six weeks you guys! I’ve already capitalized it in my head two months ago. At the rate I’m going I’ll never remember to call her by an actual name and only refer to her by a silly pet name. Argh!”

 

Tony chuckles, coming up behind the younger brunet and claps his shoulder. “We want you to be surprised.”

 

“And I won’t be surprised now when you tell me? I practice my surprised face every day in front of the mirror. Wanna see it?”

 

Pepper snorts in front of them and comes to a stop before the closed door they designated as Baby’s. It is next door to Peter’s and directly across from the master bedroom. “I see it all the time, Peter.”

 

“Why can’t I know?” he directs at Tony, spinning around and walking backwards as he puts on the heavy duty pouting face. “I can keep a secret! Besides, who am I gonna tell?”

 

“Everyone.”

 

Peter barely holds back the shudder their unison replies keep bringing him. “But I _can_ keep a secret. I still have my identity in check. I can totally keep a secret.”

 

Pepper looks apathetic when Peter turns to gauge her reaction but with a peek out the corner of his eyes at Tony he sees the engineer starting to crack.

 

“What happened last Tuesday?”

 

Peter spins around to face the strawberry blonde fully, crying out, “That’s not fair! Pepper, that’s really not fair and has only happened the one time!”

 

“Some idiot trying to take our idiot kid’s mask off sure seems like an issue to me.”

 

“But he didn’t!” Peter’s voice pitches higher. “Super secret identity is still in check! I’m also a great super secret keeper.”

 

Tony snickers under his breath.

 

“And then there’s my lovely husband carting you around all the time and I have to keep reminding the public you’re a minor and an intern and yet I still somehow managed to find your picture floating around online this morning.”

 

“Yeah, that one’s my fault.” Tony murmurs, coming up behind Peter and rests his hands firmly on both shoulders. “Sucks being a well-known billionaire and unable to take my Spider-baby out to practice my parenting skills before my real life baby makes her grand entrance.”

 

Peter barely stops himself from turning a dirty look on his mentor but Pepper sees it and smirks at the both of them, cutting Peter’s metaphorical sails before he gets any wind to being a little pain in the ass. Pepper knows them too well.

 

“We’ll tell you her name when we want to tell you, Peter.” says Pepper, mild, before opening the door without any fanfare. “Come on now.”

 

“You heard the lady,” Tony nudges him forward when Peter glances back at him.

 

He enters the nursery and doesn’t make it more than four steps inside, stopping to stare around in awe. Three walls are painted a light blue, white puffy clouds lazing about in clumps and solo, and Peter’s mouth pops open audibly. Where the contemporary white crib is nestled the wall is painted water, a soothing sight that looks as if the artist caught the ocean mid-tide. The furniture is minimalistic, considering Baby’s ostentatious father, with matching dresser and glider in the corner.

 

“Woah,” he whispers, letting the bags fall with a heavy _thump_ and taking a slow three-sixty once more. “This is so cool!”

 

“We commissioned the good ole retired Captain to paint it for us.” Tony explains, propped up against the doorframe.

 

“You mean he did it for free as a gift.” his wife corrects.

 

“Out of the kindness of his heart, yes. But in fairness, we did offer to pay him beforehand.”

 

While examining the texture in a particularly fat cloud, Peter asks, “Are you naming her Skylar?”

 

“Tony suggested that name at one point.” comes Pepper’s coy remark.

 

“So that’s your final answer?”

 

“Final answer.”

 

His right foot catches a stray bag when Peter finishes his loop and Tony’s reflexes save the kid from becoming acquainted with the tan carpet. (Because no matter how expensive, it wouldn’t be that great of a cushion for his fall.)(And Peter had been too preoccupied to save himself.) The teenager offers a sheepish uptick of cheek and mouth in thanks to his fondly exasperated mentor.

 

“Please don’t hurt yourself in your sister’s bedroom— or in general— if it can be helped, alright, Underoos?”

 

“Sure, sure. I’m uh sorry—“

 

“No need for apologies; it’s like one of three rules we have, Pete. You’re good.”

 

Peter relaxes at Tony’s comforting smile.

 

“Let me see what you’ve brought for little one.” Pepper’s soft soprano redirects the males’ attention and they find her sitting in the glider, motioning with a quick hand gesture.

 

“Yeah, okay, sure! But um, there’s one thing I’m not sure will match the decor of the room.”

 

“We’ll make it work.” Pepper promises fiercely, a warm undertone taking out any sting. “Let me see.”

 

“I sorta made her a mobile.” Peter prefaces as he fishes out the object hidden inside one of the five or more bags at his feet. “It’s uh, it’s science themed. And I may have, uh, gotten way too into it. I guess I should have asked but...yeah.”

 

“Oh, now I have to see this!” Tony claps his hands together and moves to hover near his kid.

 

“One of the first things her brother makes her out of love? Peter, my dear, of course it’s going above her bed; but please stop dawdling and let me see it!”

 

Peter’s nervous laughter fills the space as he shows off the nerdy mobile, then the clothes May helped him pick out, along with the tawny bear he had made for her. His cheeks hurt from smiling as Tony immediately hangs up the mobile over Baby’s bed and as Pepper fawns over the teddy bear.

 

* * *

 

 

Peter is freezing his ass off, forty minutes into a patrol, when he gets the call.

 

“Call from Tony Stark.”

 

“Patch him through, please, Karen!” Peter directs, doing a flip from one web to the next. “Hi, Tony!” he greets, landing on a building top without noise. “What’s up?”

 

“You ready to meet your sister tonight?”

 

“Holy shit! Tonight?! But— but she’s early! I’m— I’m not... yeah. Yeah, holy shit, I’m on my way. You’re at the penthouse?”

 

“Nope. Up at the Compound. Happy’s gonna be picking you and May up, if you’re both still wanting to come.”

 

“I’m most definitely coming! But May’s working a double shift tonight, so it’s just me.”

 

“See you when you get here, kid.”

 

The HUD screen winks out when Tony hangs up and Peter whoops out his exhilaration. He flips off the building he’s perched on, shooting a web.

 

“Karen, we’re headed home early tonight. I have a baby sister to meet!”

 

“Congratulations on becoming a big brother, Peter!”

 

 

 

Peter doesn’t bother taking off his spider suit when he tumbles inside his bedroom, simply shoves his legs into sweatpants and yanking on a too large hoodie before tripping over the boots he’d been looking for yesterday morning as he wedges his left foot into a pair of Nikes May got him for Christmas, his phone pinging on the nightstand. He knows that’s his queue, so Peter grabs his phone, keys, and backpack as he races out of the apartment. Then runs back after several paces to lock up.

 

“Hiya, Happy!” Peter chirps excitedly as he slides into the black sedan. “I’m so excited!”

 

“Hey, kid. Yeah, me too.”

 

Peter shoots off a quick text to May full of more emojis than words before settling in for the long car ride up to the Avengers’ Compound, fiddling with his phone and headphones and barely forming his mumblings loud enough for Happy to hear.

 

 

 

A little more than two hours later, Happy pulls up the driveway and keeps the car doors child-locked so Peter can’t jump out and race inside. Peter whines obnoxiously but the bodyguard turned chauffeur doesn’t give into his demands. (One wouldn’t after working for Tony Stark all these years.) So Peter’s bouncing his leg up and down and thumbing at his backpack strap until Happy opens the door. The teen groans in victory then tumbles out of the car.

 

“Christ, kid, be careful! Now’s literally the worst time to get a concussion.”

 

Peter frowns as he straightens up.

 

“Oh, stop that. In we go. We’ve got a baby to meet.”

 

Peter follows at a trot through the parking garage and jabbers to Happy, his nerves demanding a release for how little he talked on the ride up.

 

“You don’t think she’s been born yet, right? I mean, she could be depending on when Tony called me and how long Pepper’s been in labor. I really hope we aren’t late. But I don’t wanna wait much longer to see her! Shoot, that’s probably the wrong thing to say; don’t tell Pepper I said anything, okay Happy?”

 

“Sure thing, kid,” the head of security says with a snort, his amusement clear through his smile to the pat on the back Peter receives. “But I’m not sure if she’s here yet or not. We’ll have to go find out and we aren’t spoiling it by asking FRIDAY.” he tacks on at the end once they have entered the threshold of the facility. “That’s some serious cheating. Have some restraint.”

 

“Hi Fri!” the young vigilante chirps out and Peter’s smile hurts his chapped lips yet the heat from the compound, on top of his suit, rejuvenates the young man. “We’re getting a sister today!”

 

“Hello, Peter. So it would seem. Boss wanted me to direct you and Mr Hogan down to the medical bay.” FRIDAY comes from all around, her voice not as sweet as Karen’s can be but not unkind.

 

Peter squawks, earning a look from Happy, but they take off further into the rarely visited Compound. Peter continues yammering without paying attention and doesn’t take offense to the other man’s grunts as replies. As they navigate, he focuses all his attention on meeting the baby and hoping Pepper is alright. (He’s picked up on Tony’s particular brand of worry on top of his own. It’s sorta weird that they feed off each others’ anxieties, at times; but Tony’s been limiting their triggers if it can be helped and quick to walk Peter through breathing exercises when necessary.) He redirects his train of thought.

 

When they enter the floor to ceiling white hallway of the medical bay Peter spies a lone figure rise from a row of waiting room chairs. (Though to be fair to Tony’s tastes, they remind Peter more of expensive movie theater recliners than the plastic death contraptions at the hospital Aunt May works.) James Rhodes stands fully and his leg braces make minimal mechanical whirring sounds that probably only Peter can hear. A lazy smile on his lips, the former colonel looks like Tony when he’s trying to play nonchalant. Peter’s heart picks up.

 

“Is she here yet? Have you seen her?” he ends up asking right away.

 

“No,” laughs Rhodey. “I haven’t heard much of anything. And hello to you, too, Pete.”

 

The teen flushes as the adults snicker around him. “Sorry, Rhodey; hi!”

 

Peter gets his hair tousled for his troubles as Tony’s best friend reassures him that he is being teased. Then Rhodey settles Peter into a seat next to his abandoned one and Happy sandwiches him on the other side. Peter doesn’t mind the arrangements because it works to keep Peter as grounded as can be momentarily. (He shoves down the disappointment swelling up his throat due to lack a of shoulder to rest his head on and a calloused hand to comb through his hair during the wait; it’s Peter’s favorite offer of comfort from Tony.) His spine relaxes into the backrest when Rhodey pats his forearm.

 

Peter rambles, Rhodey teases, and Happy grumbles. Eventually, the television gets turned on and the background noise is a new distraction.

 

“Fri, put it on _I Love Lucy_ , please.”

 

“What? No way! FRIDAY, play _Downton Abbey._ ”

 

“At least put it on the History channel, Fri; you know who the boss is when Tony isn’t around.”

 

Peter folds over his legs from laughing so damned hard when the A.I. plays Peter’s pick, cackling so merrily he muffles out the adults’ amused groans and listens to the sounds bouncing off the enclosed walls. Then he forces out a, “Thanks, Fri!”

 

“You’re welcome, mini-boss.”

 

Peter beams, Rhodey smirks, and Happy scoffs.

 

Sometime around three, the fourth episode is starting up when footsteps from the left pull Peter’s attention away. Eyes widening, he slips off his chair and jogs to meet Tony down the hallway. The closer he gets he spots the relaxed posture and the curling smile on the new father’s lips and Peter jumps.

 

“She’s here?”

 

“She is,” nods Tony. The mechanic’s expression positively brightens up and when they’re closer, Tony pulls his young vigilante into a crushing hug. “Come on, we want you to meet your sister.”

 

Peter lets out a squee into Tony’s shoulder, trying to get out all his loud excitement out of the way now. He steps away from his mentor turned father figure and takes in the happiness etched into his very pores, grinning at the sight. “Should I wake them up?” he jabs his thumb behind him, indicating his snoozing companions.

 

“Naw. My spider-baby gets special privileges.”

 

So they turn down the hallway, Tony tucking Peter into his side, as they wander in silence.

 

Tony walks them through a door that opens silently and Peter immediately sees Pepper propped up in a bed, a bundled baby in her arms. Peter would have stopped moving if it weren’t for Tony guiding him along. Pepper peers at them and her soft expression matches the dopey one on her husband’s.

 

“Hey, honey. Come meet your sister.”

 

Peter’s heart swells at the noun use and his brain doesn’t stutter as much as it did the first time Tony or Pepper referred to their child as Peter’s sibling. He shuffles forward until Tony nudges him to sit next to Pepper, peering around to see a pink face and a head full of dark hair.

 

“Wow,” he whispers. “She’s so... so beautiful.”

 

Pepper’s blue eyes get a little watery. “Can you help us with something?”

 

“Sure,” his brows furrow as he glances away from the bundle in Pepper’s arms up at the woman in concern. “What can I do?”

 

“We need help naming her.”

 

Tony snickers at Peter’s shoulders. “We’ve narrowed it down to two middle names but can’t agree. You’re the tie-breaker.”

 

“Can I know her first name first?”

 

“Emerson,” replies Tony. “And you can call her Emmy.”

 

Peter whips around with a wide smile, his chapped lips splitting but he ignores the pain. “Really?”

 

“Yep, kiddo. Pep really fell in love with that name. And while it’s not Italian you did spark the idea.”

 

Tony clears his throat clogged with an overload of sentiment on top of an emotional day and Peter mimics, deciding to keep the conversation moving forward by changing the topic.

 

“So middle names?”

 

“Emerson Penelope or Emerson Avery.”

 

Peter makes a face at Pepper’s announcement.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing!”

 

“Here, maybe holding her will help make it easier.”

 

“What? Like now?”

 

“Oh yeah. Big brothers gotta learn sometime. C’mon, Tony show him how to hold his arms and I’ll trade her off to Peter.”

 

Peter mimes Tony and Pepper passes her tiny baby into Peter’s arms. She’s heavier than she looks but so incredibly small. Emerson settles in no problem and Peter bends down to kiss her forehead. “Hi, baby. Oops, I mean Emmy. I’m Peter. Oh, my god.”

 

“You’re a pro at this, kiddo.”

 

“I knew he would be. He’s been fawning over her since the day we told him.”

 

“You gotta go with Emerson Avery; please don’t saddle her with two ridiculously long names.” he whispers as he takes in the slumbering newborn, barely aware of Tony and Pepper’s conversation, spoken or silent, he’s totally oblivious. “Emmy baby.”

 

Tony presses a firm kiss to Peter’s crown, “It’s official, Pep, the Spiderling has broken the tie and my choice has come out victorious. Thanks for that, too, by the way, Pete.”

 

Peter giggles and the motion causes Emerson to wiggle closer. He has never felt love grab ahold of him so irrevocably before in his life. So he snuggles her right back.

 

“Emmy and I have decided I’m not going to school in morning. I need baby snuggles all the time now.”

 

* * *

 

 

Emerson is seven weeks old when Pepper asks him to babysit for the first time. And okay, maybe it isn’t really babysitting if someone else is home with him, but Peter counts it as the first time because he has the entire family room all to himself and Emmy. It totally counts. And he’s super pumped to spend one-on-one time with his sister.

 

“I hate to ask, Peter.” Pepper says, voice pitched low with exhaustion and eyes bloodshot. “Tony said he’d be back by now and I really—”

 

“Hey, it’s okay. Really.” he quickly reassures the new mother and holds out his hands for baby Emerson. Pepper trades and steps back. “I don’t mind hanging out with her. Honestly, I’d rather be up here right now than down in the lab. Plus I had a hunch Tony was gonna stand me up for her anyways. Hey, Pepper, no, I’m not offended! I mean look at her!” He holds Emerson so her cheek is smooshed against his own. “Who could be offended with this face?”

 

Pepper’s eyes soften. “No one, you’re right, Pete,” she murmurs, stepping forward to kiss both sets of foreheads. “FRIDAY will get me if you ask her, too, okay?”

 

“We’ll be fine!”

 

“There’s milk in the fridge, bottle already made. She’ll probably take one if she fusses.”

 

“Awesome!”

 

“And there’s—“

 

“We’ll be fine, I promise. Say bye-bye to Mama, Emmy!”

 

Pepper exhales but waves before heading down the hallway toward her bedroom.

 

And Peter is alone with his baby sister.

 

Emmy snuffles, scrunching up her little nose she got from her mama, and nestles firmly into the crook of Peter’s arm. He goes to sit down but her little face spasms like she hates the idea.

 

“Okay, okay, we can take a walk, no problem, little one.” he reassures and bounces Emmy the way he sees Pepper and May favor. “Hush, Emmy Avery, it’s okay. Shhh shhh shhh. Big brother is here.”

 

She squirms but halts the back of her throat whining, eyes blinking open to reveal questioning brown eyes, and sorta focuses up on him. Her mouth purses and opens enough to let out drool. Peter uses a pink spit up cloth and throws it over his shoulder.

 

“Are you gonna help me study today? Finals are coming up and you know it’s never too soon to finalize. Oooh, yeah yeah, you’re right. I should focus on my last tests before exams, you’re right; so smart, you are, Emmy bear. So I’ll change my question: will you help me for that chem test? I should be good, but a second opinion never hurt either and I bet your daddy forgot he promised he’d help me revise. Dad can be forgetful, can’t he? And who can blame him with your cute face around?

 

“And I’ve been slacking with Spider-Man duties, too, but between May and Tony and Karen, too, believe it or not, I’ve only gone out once this whole week. And it’s Saturday! Crazy isn’t it?”

 

Peter walks around, chattering softly to Emerson, for fifteen or so minutes. Once he exhausts the topic of school he just continues speaking because he thinks his sister likes his voice.

 

Then she starts wriggling before she lets out a soft cry.

 

“Oooh, oh no. Is someone hungry now?” he maneuvers toward the kitchen and warms up her bottle. But it takes forever so Peter offers Emmy his index finger to gnaw on, though that lasts all of twenty-five seconds then she’s back to being cranky.

 

It’s rather challenging to make a bottle one handed. Peter hums under his breath as he tests the consistency of the bottle’s temperature and Emerson is too far into her little crying jag to appreciate it. Peter just hopes it’s not the newborn’s way to telling her big brother he’s a terrible vocalist when she’s used to her daddy’s singing.

 

They settle on the couch, his arm propped on the armrest and the little girl situated in the crook of his left arm. Her nose scrunches up at the bottle when Peter taps it against her lips.

 

“Emmy,” he sing-songs her name gently, “Emmy baby, c’mon.”

 

Once she latches on, she practically inhales four and half of the eight ounces, which culminates with her spitting up more than usual into her burping cloth.

 

“Nice.” he congratulates, giving the bottle back and gazing down into dark brown eyes. “You might be able to keep up with me, Emmy bear. Fist bump.” he lightly taps his closes fist against one of her flailing ones. “All right!”

 

Emmy doesn’t react.

 

She finishes off the bottle slower than she started. He burps her again and then takes her on another walk through the living room and kitchen. Emmy likes being on her belly after eating so Peter has her up against his right shoulder. He hums again.

 

Eventually they make their way back onto the couch with Peter on his back and Emmy sleeping on his chest, breathing softly out of her mouth.

 

“I love you, Emmy bear,” he whispers into dark curly tufts of hair.

 

Tony finds them both asleep a half hour later.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’ll see you later.” May presses a kiss to his forehead. “Happy birthday, baby.”

 

Peter grumbles.

 

“I’ll get a better reaction out of Emerson—“

 

“Bye, May! Thank you for my party.”

 

His aunt smirks and smacks his cheek lightly. She bends down to smooch Emmy, who’s on the floor with her mother, before waving goodbye to everyone as she heads off for her evening shift at the hospital and calls over her shoulder, “Goodbye miss crawler. Don’t start crawling up walls next because I don’t think your daddy can handle two crime fighters.”

 

“Don’t give her ideas, May!”

 

“Wouldn’t put it past her.”

 

“Have a good shift, May. I personally promise to keep your nephew out of trouble.”

 

“Ha, thanks Pepper! And good luck with that!”

 

Peter watches her go.

 

As soon as the elevator doors close, it’s like a dam floods open in Peter and he finally feels comfortable to begin unwinding everything he’s held inside since he first arrived to his surprise party and learned his sister started crawling last night. He starts venting.

 

“I keep missing stuff!” Peter low-key shouts his woes, falling dramatically onto the sectional and misses Tony and Pepper rolling their eyes at him. “I’m the world’s worst big brother to have ever been born. Smite me.”

 

“Pete,” Tony ends up chuckling instead of lightly chastising, though he does end up throwing a pillow all the same at him.

 

“Peter, you did not miss anything— we got it on video, sent it to you, and she did it literally as soon as you walked in the door.” Pepper points out from her position on the floor with the rolling Emerson. “You know how much she loves showing off for you.”

 

The teenager hears nothing logical and instead continues mewling into the cushions.

 

Next thing the young vigilante knows he is being forcibly turned over and then a heavy weight is dropped onto his stomach. Out of reflex, his hands cradle his stomach and he peers down to see Emmy’s mostly gummy smile, only a few baby teeth poking out. Peter smiles back automatically.

 

“Hi there, sweet girl.”

 

“Bah! Ma ma ma ma ma ma!” Emmy chatters right back, stretching up as she smacks at Peter’s mouth with her drooled on hand.

 

“Oh really? Is that why you didn’t wait on me? They bribed you with Puffs? Well, that would have been very rude of you indeed to not crawl to get it, wouldn’t it have been? Suppose I can’t stay mad now.”

 

“Ah!”

 

“I know, I know. But what’s the point of having a baby scrapbook if I’m constantly missing out, Emmy?”

 

“We can all scrapbook, Peter.” Pepper chimes in, soft and the voice of reason.

 

Peter tears his attention away from the little lady and he lifts up to see Pepper now curled up against Tony’s side, both adults watching them. Peter scrunches up his brows, nose, and chin at the suggestion.

 

“Or at the very least we can help you fill in the milestones,” amends Tony with a noticeable eye roll, his amusement coloring his tone.

 

“But I’m going to college in about two weeks. I’ll be missing _everything._ ”

 

“Pete.”

 

“Video chats aren’t the same.” the teen continues, definitely not sniffling. “How ‘m I gonna make her a great scrapbook if I’m not here?”

 

Emmy swats at Peter’s chin. “Bah bah bah bahhh!”

 

“Well, you can’t help yet, Emmy bear. It’s a gift for you.” Peter pauses as the eight month old has a turn. “Valid point.”

 

“No, she was asking you if you enjoyed your birthday party, kiddo.” Tony says.

 

Peter smiles over at his father figure. “Was my effusive thanks earlier not enough proof?”

 

Emmy tries shoving her hand into Peter’s mouth, causing the teenager to pull the growing baby further up his chest so he can drown her in kisses all over her face, their giggles intermingling.

 

“Emmy says you have to stop calling me kiddo now that I’m legally an adult.” Peter keeps his eyes firmly on Emerson, pretending to be occupied with holding her steady as she jabbers away.

 

Tony scoffs.

 

Immediately, Peter’s eyes dart across the room.

 

“I’ll stop calling you kiddo the day I stop calling her my daughter.” he stresses.

 

Peter’s chest tightens then his chin starts to wobble like he’s Emerson’s age instead of a recently legal adult! He blinks and blinks and blinks the moisture away and still ends up having a few tears slip down his cheeks.

 

Next thing Peter knows he’s sandwiched in a Stark family group hug with Tony tugging him into his side, much to Emmy’s vocal delight, and Pepper wrapping her slim arms around the three of them.

 

Nobody says anything else, despite the sniffling.

 

* * *

 

 

Peter enters the penthouse, dropping his bags he brought home for winter break off to the side of the elevator, and smiles at the familiarity. Takes a deep breath and appreciates the smells of oranges, cinnamon candles, a slight aroma of disinfectant, as well as that particular mixture of vanilla, motor oil, and spit-up he associates with Emmy. (Of course it is a combination of the entire home’s scents cohabiting on his sister. It’s all the same, really.) It’s a nice, calming mixture of home in a way the apartment in Queens is always associated with May. Tony plants a firm hand between his shoulder blades and guides the college student further inside his home.

 

“I anticipated the calvary upon our arrival. FRIDAY, where’s Pep?” says Tony.

 

“Boss Lady is currently inside the nursery with the littlest lady of the house.” The A.I. answers. “Would you like me to alert her you and Peter are home?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Peter side eyes Tony and teases, “Since when did you change their names?”

 

“Since you left me here alone to become a family man,” sniffs Tony.

 

Peter’s giggles steadily climb into the beginnings of a belly laugh.

 

“Brah!” comes from the hallway leading from the bedrooms. “Mama!”

 

“Go get him, Em.” Pepper’s voice follows suit. “Go get Petey!”

 

Peter glances at Tony more out of reflex than for permission, grins broadly, and the young man sprints for the hallway, skidding to a stop before he goes careening into furniture or heaven forbid the marble countertop again. And the sight that greets him is Emerson standing proudly on her own, wobbling precariously, but unaided. Peter twitches to close the distance, though his mentor’s hand stays him.

 

“Give her a second. Let’s see if she’ll finally do it.”

 

“You mean…?”

 

“Other than two or three steps before falling down, nope.”

 

Slowly, Peter lowers onto his knees and holds out his arms. “C’mere Emmy bear, let me see you!”

 

Emmy positively screeches as she hears her brother’s voice. Then, almost as if in slow motion, she takes the first step. Peter inhales and holds. But Emerson takes another step and another without falling and she keeps walking, picking up speed and then slowing, as she closes the distance between them with singular focus (the kind Peter refers to as Stark single-mindedness). She’s all of five steps away from him when Emerson throws herself at Peter and he squawks, diving forward to catch her, and the gushing commences.

 

“You did it, Emmy! Oh, my God, Emmy bear, you were just walking!” he cheers, cuddling her close.“Say, ‘Mama, Dada, did you see me?’ C’mon on Emmy! You can do anything now. Not even one yet and you’re already walking. Emmy Avery!” Peter pulls her up so the baby’s belly is in front of his face and immediately starts blowing raspberries.

 

“Smart like her mommy,” Tony snarks behind from behind them.

 

Pepper scoffs but the smile stretching across her lips does nothing to diminish the happiness permeating the atmosphere. “What did I say? Who was she gonna walk for?”

 

“Her favorite person,” Tony supplies, slinging an arm around Peter’s shoulder and poking his daughter in the belly. “She’s got us all wrapped but I think we’re gonna need to be worried about how much she’s got her brother under her thumb.”

 

“You are going to have yourself a little duckling following you around, Peter.” Pepper says, pushing his curly bangs off his forehead so she can press a quick kiss hello there.

 

And Peter laughs. It’s good to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> Please drop me a line or hit me up with some kudos? Thanks!! Also, someone please come yell at me about writing a novel length fanfic... I have the idea but I'm not sure if I wanna share before I finish it. Thoughts/feelings?


End file.
